Conveyer system



06t- 10, 1933. D. R, cLEMoNs Er AL CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed May 13, 1952 Afm/SWU Patented Oct. 10, 1933 UNlTED STT?.-

PATENT Y 1,929,913 coNvErea sYsrEM Baie Clemons, Riverside, and Warren R.

Neumann, Hinsdale, ill., assignorsA to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. if., a corporation of New Yori;

Application May 13, 1332. Serial No. 611,008`

1l Claims. (Cl. 198--21) This invention relates to conveyer systems, and more particularly to article derlectors for conveyor systems.

An object of this invention is to provide an 5 automatic article deflector for conveyer systems which is simple in construction and efficient in operation. I

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, as applied to an article conveying 1o system having a plurality of stations arranged at intervals along an article conveying element, gravity chutes are provided extending iromthe conveying element to the stations. At the entrance end of eachof the chutes a` pivotal article deilector is arranged having a portionnormally positioned by gravity across the path of the articles beingv conveyed and another portion normally positioned over the mouth of the chute for receiving a deflected article. An article deiiected from the conveying element moves onto the latter portion of the deilector and the weight of the article thereon swings it downwardly, causing the deflecting portion to move upwardly out of the path of the articles being conveyed to thereby permit the movement of succeeding artcles to the next station or stations.

Other objects and advantages of thisfinvention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a conveyer system embodying the features of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the lower end of the gravity chute.

. Referring now to the drawing, wherein a conveyer system is shown fragmentarily, having one embodiment of the article deflector of this invention included therein, `indicates a traveling conveyor element which supports and conveys articles 11. The conveyor element li) may be of any suitable type, but as shown is of the endless belt type (shown fragmentarily) and may be driven by any suitable source of power. The belt 1G travels between upright frame' members 12 interconnected by a iioor member 13 upon which the belt 10 slides. A plurality of stations, only one of which is indicated in general by the numeral 14 (Fig. 2), are arranged at spaced intervals along the article conveying belt 10, each of the stations being connected to an opening 15,

formed in one of the upright frame members 12, by a gravity chute 16 provided with vertical side yment down the chute.

walls, the chute being rigidly attached in a suitable manner to the adjacent frame member 12. The upper end of the oor of the chute 16 is attached to a horizontal surface of the frame member l2-across the opening 15. At its lower 60 end the chute 16 terminates in a horizontal portion 1'7 (Fig. 2) having a vertical end wall 18 which serves as a stop for the articles 11 moved by gravity down the chute, the wall 18 being equipped with a rubber block 19 for absorbing the 65 shock ci the articles at theend of their move- The right side'oi the vertcle Yside wall ofthe chute 16 is formedwith an openingv 22 forthe removal of the articles. v At the upper or entrance end oi the gravity `chute 16 is arranged a pivotal gravity actuated article deiector 23 for automatically deflecting the articles l1 from the traveling belt 10 onto the gravity chute. The article deilector 23 is horizontally pivoted upon a pin 24 journaled at 75 opposite ends in bearing plates 25 xed to opposite sides oi the opening 15 in the frame inember 12. A flat normally horizontally positioned floor portion 26 of the deflector 23 extends for a suitable distance, from the pivotal axis adjacent the side of the conveyer belt 10, into the upper or entrance end of the-chute 16 and substantially in the plane oi the upper surface of the belt (Fig. 2). rThe floor portion 26 at its right side (Fig. l) is provided with a vertical g5 wall 29 arranged parallel to the adjacent' side wail of the chute 16 and is of a suitable height to extend above the top of the article which is to be deflected. At a point 30 the wall 29 is bent at a suitable angle to extend diagonally across the belt l0 and into the path oi the articles l1 being conveyed to provide a deecting arm 81, a suitable clearance being provided between the lower edge surface oi the arm 31 and the upper surface of the belt. The free end of the deflecting arrn 31 has attached thereto a Weight 32 which serves to normally maintain the arm ina deecting position over the belt 10 and consequently the integral floor portion 26 will also be maintained in a 100 horizontalposition as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. In the normal position of the deflecting arm 31 the upper end of the vertical wall 29 engages a stop arm 33 formed integral with the right side wall of the chute 16. This serves to hold the floor portion 26 in the plane of the upper surface oi" the belt l() `and prevents the lower edge oi'the deilecting arm 31 from engaging the beltV 10. The delecting arm 31 is providedat a predetermined point along its vthe purpose of lower edge with a triangular shaped notch 35,

ich will hereinafter be deor" stiifening the deflecting arm 31 a h tal flange 37 integral with the wall 29 extends from the free end of the floor portion 25 to the end of the deflecting arm 31. it will be observed that the area and shape of the chute at its entrance end and the floor p on of the deflector 23 are such that the ar 11 are freely deected from the trav g belt l0 by their engagement with the vertical Wall of the diagonally disposed deecting arm El without cominC` into engagement with the left side Wall of the chute 16 and are entirely supported on vthe belt or the floor portion during their deflection into the entrance end of the chute. .The operation of the above described automatic article deector of this invention is as follows, it being assumed that series of abutting articles 11 are being conveyed by the traveling belt 10 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1,). As shown in Fig. l, the extreme right hand article 11 on the eelt 10 has engaged the deflecting arm 31 and in the continued advance of the belt the article will be deflected from the belt .onto the floor lportion 26 disposed in the plane of the belt. When the article has reached sucha position, indicated in dotted outline (Fig. l),` on the iioor portion 25, that the center of gravity of the deilector 23 is at the left side scribed. For the ies of the pivotal'point thereof, as viewed in Fig;

2, due to the Weight of the article onthe floor portion 26, the deflector will turn upon its pivot causing the door portion to move downwardly.

and the deflecting arm 3l to move upwardly. Thislatter position of the deflector isshovvn in dotted outline in Fig. 2. The deflected article 11 thus'moves by gravity from the iioor portion 26 and clown the chute 26 onto the horizontal portion 17 and into engagement with the rubber stop block 19.

In its upper position the deilecting arm 31, due to the notch 35 in its lower edge, is completely out of the path of the following articles 11 on the belt 10 and in the interval of time during which the deector is rocked about its pivot to discharge the deflected article 11 from the floor portion 26 thereof onto the chute 16 andthe return of the deflector to its dene/:ting position by gravity, shown in full lines (Fig. 2), the next succeeding article or articles 11 on the belt are permitted to be carried toward the deflectors 23 at the next stations (not shown). Also, when the delivery chute 1S is filled with articles l1, the uppermost article thereon will h'old the floor portion 26 of the deflector k23 in its down position and the deilecting arm 3l thereof in its up position out of the path of the articles being conveyed. Thus, the movement of the articles by the belt 1G to succeeding stations is uninterrupted. When the loivermost article 11 on the chute 15v is removed, the rest of the articles Will move one space downwardly, which permits the deflector 23 to move by gravity to its deilecting position over the belt l0, and thereafter the next article vengaging the deector will be deflected into the chute 16. In this manner a predetermined supply of articles 11 may be constantly maintained or stored in the chuteY 16 at each station 14 in the system, the number of articles depending on the length of the chute. Furthermore, any number of stations may be supplied With articles simultaneously by a single conveyer element.

ment out of said path by the weight of the deflected article While positioned upon said portion.

2. In a conveyer, a deflector normally by gravity in the path of articles being conveyed, and means operatively connected to said deiiector for moving the deilector out of ciid path, said means being operated by the Weight of an article after said article has been deflected from said path.

3. In an article conveying system, an element for conveying articles in abutting relationship, an article deiieotor normally positioned lin the path of the articles lbeing conveyed for deflecting an article from Vsaid element and having a portion for receiving the deflected article, said .deector rendered ineffective for deiiecting ar foldeflected article, and means for mounting said deiiecting means for movement out of said'path by the weight of the deflected article while positioned upon'said receiving portion.

5. In a conveyer system, a Yconveyer for articles, and a movable member having a portion normally positioned by gravity for deflecting an article from said conveyer andanother portion for receiving a deflected article, said deecting portion being moved out ofits deflecting position bythe Weight of a 'deflected article While positioned upon said receiving portion.

6. In a conveyer system, a-conveyer for articles, and a pivotall member having a portion normally positioned byy gravity for-deecting an article from said conveyer and another portion positioned substantially in the plane of the conveyer. for receiving the deflected article, said receiving portion being .gravity actuated to discharge the deflected article therefrom.

7. In a conveyer system, a; conveyerfor articles, and a member `normally maintained by gravity inoperative position for deflectingan article from said conveyer, said member including a portion arranged to receive thereon the deflected article, the Weight of the article thereon momentarily rendering the member ineffective for deflecting succeeding articles and simultaneously discharging the deflected article. 4

l 8. In. a conveyer system, a horizontal article conveyer, a gravity chute diverging therefrom, and a pivotal member having a portion normally positioned by gravity in the path or" articles on said conveyer for deilecting an article therefrom 'and another portion extendingv over the chute the chute and simultaneously moving the' det ii iiecting portion out of the path of succeeding articles on the conveyer.-

9. In a conveyer system, a oonveyer for articles, a gravity chute at one side of said con- Veyer, and an article deilecting member pivoted horizontally at the upper end of the chute and normally maintained by gravity in deecting position in the path of the articles on said conveyer, said member including a portion normally positioned substantially in the plane of the conveyer and extending over the chute for receiving a deected article thereon, whereupon the Weight of the article on said portion rocks said pivoted member to move the deflecting portion thereof out of the path of the following articles on the oonveyer and simultaneously discharge the deflected article onto the chute.

l0. In an article conveying system, a movable article deector having a portion normally positioned in the path of articles being conveyed for deecting an article from said path and having another' portion normally positioned substantially in the plane of said path for receiving the deflected article, said receiving portion being movable out of said plane by the Weight of the deflected article whereby the deflecting portion is moved out of the path of succeeding articles. 11. In an article conveying system, an article conveyer movable in a horizontal plane, a horizontally pivoted article deflector having a portion normally positioned substantially vertical to the plane of said conveyor, spaced therefrom and in the path of an article being conveyed for deflecting the article from said path and having another portion normally positioned substantially'in the plane of said conveyer for receiving the deected article, said receiving portion being movable out of said plane by the Weight of the deilected article whereby` the deecting portion is moved out of said path.

DALE R. CLEMONS. WARREN R. NEUMANN.A 

